astronomy

NGC 500

NGC 500 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand NGC 500 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 500 (also known as PGC 5013) is a type E-SO lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Pisces. It has an apparent size of .8 by .6 arcminutes and an apparent magnitude of 14.2.

Key takeaways

NGC 500 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect NGC 500 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 500 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 500 (also known as PGC 5013) is a type E-SO lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Pisces. It has an apparent size of .8 by .6 arcminutes and an apparent magnitude of 14.2. It was discovered in 1850 by Bindon Blood Stoney during his time at Birr Castle in Ireland. One supernova has been observed in NGC 500: SN 1990A (type unknown, mag. 19) was discovered by Christian Pollas on 1 January 1990.

See also Lenticular galaxy List of NGC objects (1–1000) Pisces (constellation)

References

External links Media related to NGC 500 at Wikimedia Commons

NGC 500 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images SEDS

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NGC 500

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 500 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to NGC 500 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about NGC 500 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of NGC 500

In research: NGC 500 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses NGC 500 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: NGC 500 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Discoveries by Bindon Blood Stoney, Discoveries by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, Lenticular galaxies, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 500 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study NGC 500 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 500 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain NGC 500 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 500 in simple terms?

NGC 500 (also known as PGC 5013) is a type E-SO lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Pisces. It has an apparent size of .8 by .6 arcminutes and an apparent magnitude of 14.2.

Why does NGC 500 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study NGC 500?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on NGC 500.